It is known that 3,3-difluoro-2-hydroxypropionic acid is an important compound as pharmaceutical and agrichemical intermediates. For example, 3,3-difluoro-2-hydroxypropionic amide, which is easily derived from this acid compound, is used as intermediates for production of phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitors (see Patent Document 1).
Typically known is a method of producing 3,3-difluoro-2-hydroxypropionic acids by oxidation decomposition of furan skeletons (see Non-Patent Document 1).
As a conventional technique relevant to a chlorination step of the present invention, there is known a method of producing 4,4,4-trifluoro-2,2-dichloro-3-oxobutanoic acid ester from 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoic acid ester (see Patent Document 2 and Non-Patent Document 2).
As a conventional technique relevant to a degradation step of the present invention, there is known a method of producing 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,1-dichloro-2-propanone from 4,4,4-trifluoro-2,2-dichloro-3-oxobutanoic acid ester (see Patent Document 2).
There is further known, as a conventional technique relevant to an alkali decomposition step of the present invention, a method of producing 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxypropionic acid from 3,3,3-trifluoro-1,1-dichloro-2-propanone (see Patent Document 3).